Self-service store



A. W. B. JOHNSON.

SELF SERVICE STORE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8 1918.

1,380,968. PatentedJune 7, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ratas AUnir ALVA W. B. JOHNSON, OF BEREKINGHAIVI, ALABAMA.' I

YSELF-SERVICE STORE. v

T0 a-ZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, ALVA W. B. JoHNsoifI, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented a new and Improved Self-Service Store, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. p

My invention has for its object to provide a self-service store with a plurality of compartments for the display and sale of separate lines of stock, the compartments having corner wrapping, checking and paying stations so that the clerks who are on duty at the said stations may be in close proximity to the customers in one or more compartments and may, at the same time, watch the entrances and exits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of compartments disposed side by side and end to end, the compartments having entrances and exits at their outer side walls so arranged that customers will be obliged after entering a compart-` which prevent the customers from walking,A

directly from a rear compartment to a forward compartment. I

Additional objects of the invention will appear in the following specification in which the preferred form of my invention is described. i

In the drawings, similar reference characters refer to similar parts in all the views, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional plan view showing one method of arranging my self-service store according. to the peculiar size and plan of the floor covered, but it must be understood that my invention is intended to coverV the assembling of compartments arranged and disposed of end to endand side to side with corner wrapping, paying and watching' stations to meet the requirements .of any size floor or plan wherein two or more divisions or compartments are required.

Fig. 2s-a fragmentary sectional plan view of the self-service store illustrated on an enlarged scale;

Fig 3 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional fragmentary view l illustrating the manner in which the coun- Specication of Letters Patent. Patented June 7:, 1.921.

1918. Serial No. 227,280.

ters are arranged, but it must be understoodI ics?. Y

that counters or tables can 'be arranged 'in each compartment in any desired manner,` D A not want to restrict myself to theexclusive counter arrangement as shown by:

and I do F ig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the construction of certain of the turnstiles which permit customers to pass through in one direction but which prevent customers walking in the.

opposite direction.

main entrance 12. At each side of each aisle, there are sets of compartments which are numbered 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 2o, 21,22, 2a, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28. It .will be understood that while two aisles are shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings, this plan applies to the peculiar size and the floor illustrated and that other arrangements are within the scope ofthe'invention.

It will be seen that the compartments 14 and 15 are disposed'side by side' between the aisles 10 and 11, and that the compartments 18 and 19, compartments 22,` 23 and thecompartments 26, 27 are positioned in the rear of each other and between the said` aisles 10 and 11. The remainder-of the compartments are disposed atA the outersides of the aisles 10 and 11. At the forward ends Vofthe compartments 13,14, 15 and 16 and vadjacent the main entrances 12, there areentrances from the aisles 10 and 11 -which are numbered 29, 30, 31 and 32. At the rear ofthe last mentioned Ycompartments andy leading to the aisles 10 and 11, there are exits 33, 34, 35, 36.

The compartments 1718, 19 and 20 are provided with similar entrances 37,` 38, 39 and 40 which are positioned at theirforward endsandadjacent the exits 33,. 34, 35 and 36. At the rear of the compartments 17,r 18, 19 and 20, there are exits 41, 42, 43, and 44 which lead'fiom the rear of the last mentioned compartments to the aisles.

rThe remainder ofthe compartments in the rear of the last mentioned compartments A are provided with entrances and exits similar to the entrancesand exits with which the referring to Fig. lof the drawings, it will be seen that the store is provided with two aisles 10 and 11, each .having aV shape. off .y

compartments-17, 18, 19 and 20 are provided. l

The. rear of the compartments 14, 15

which are disposed side by side between'the walls 10 and 11, are connected byV a lateral passage 45. The rear of the compartments 18 and 19 are connected by a similar lateral passage 45, and in a similar manner the compartments 22 and 23, 26 and 27 are connected by lateral passages 45.- The rear of the compartments 14 and 15 are also connected with the forward ends of the compartments 18 and 19 by exits46 which lead from the compartments 14 and 15 to the compartments18 and` 19. These exits 46 are disposed at the junction of the exits and entrances 34, 38 and 35, 39 and also at the lateral passage l45 which connects therear ofV the compartments 14 and 15.

A watching, checking and payingv station 47 `is disposed at the junction of the exit the entrance 39 and one of the exits 46. A, watch checking and paying station 48 is dis'- posed at the junction of the lateral passage 45 and two of the exits 46, and a watching checking and paying station 49 is disposed at the junction of the exit 34, the entrance.`

38 and an exit 46.

Exits 50 lead from the rear of the compartments 18 and 19 to the forward'ends of Y the compartments 22 and 23, and there is a watching checking and paying station 51 at.`

the junction ofthe exit 43, the entrance 39 and one of the exits 50. rllherei s watching checking and paying station at the junction ofthe lateral'passage 45, with tworof the exits 50', and there is a watching checking and paying station 53` at the junctionof the exit 42, the entrancel 38 and one of the exits 50. There are also watching stations 54 at the junction of the lforward ends of the compartments 14 and 15 with the main entrances 12. j l

The entrances 30, 31 and 38, 39 areprovided with turnstiles 55 which permitcustomers to enter the forward ends of the compartments from the aisles 10 and 11, but

which prevent customers from leaving the compartments at the said entrances. The

exits 34, 35, and 42, 43 are also provided* with turnstiles which are numbered 56 and which prevent customers from entering the compartments through the said passages while permitting customers to pass from the compartments to the aisles 10 and 11 through the said passages.

The exits 46 and 50 are provided with turnstiles 57 which permit customers to pass from the forward to the rear compartments while preventing customers from passing.

`from the rear to the forward compartments.

It will be seen that with this arrangement,

it will be necessary for customers to enter the forward ends of every compartment which is to be visited and pass from the rear of the compartment, although it is Vonly necessary for the customer to enter the coinpartment in which he desires to purchase merchandise. j

The lateral passages 45 are preferably merchandise may be found, and it will alsoV be possible forthe watchers and checkers to watch the customers to prevent theft and to wrap packages as the customers leave the compartments, and collect the purchase price.

16, 17, 20, 21 and 24 are disposed behind each other but that they are not'disposed side by side and, therefore, the lateral passages are not necessary. However, in other, respects the arrangement of the last mentioned compartments is similar to the ar` rangement of the compartments which are disposed between the aisles 10 and 11.

The merchandise in the compartments is exhibited on counters 59 whichY are preferably constructedas best illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings with a glass panel 6() at the rear of the counter, the glass panel 60 dividing the counters in adjacent compartments.

v ln Fig. 5 thereis shown the form of turn-V stile which I prefer to use at the entrances Similar 29, so, si, 32,37, es, se, 4o, ecc. turnstiles are used at the exits 33, 34, 35, 36, 41, 42, 43, 4,4, 46, etc. This turnstile has a shaft 61 secured to the base 62, agear 63 being secured to the shaft 61, which is covered by a cap 64 which is also secured to the shaft 61. A drum 65 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 61 below the cap 64, and pivoted to the top of the drum 65 there is a 'two armed pawl 66. Below one of thearrns j 67 i' of thev turnstile there is a cylindrical member 68 having an outer head 69 and'.

within the cylindrical member there is a spring 70, the spring being adjustable so that it may press against the pawl 66' adj acent either of itsA arms which permits a reversal of the possible movement of the turnstile when desired.

Having thus described my invention,` Ii

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1'. ln an apparatus for vending merchan-A dise, two compartments, each having its respective entrance `and exit passageway and the two compartments having a communicat# ing passageway, means to prevent the use of:

said entrance passageways as` exits, said communicating passageway. being juxtaposed to the exit passageways from bothf I so lt will be seen that the `compartments 13,`

compartments, and a service station common to all said exit and communicating passageways. j l j l v 2. In an apparatus for vending merchandise, two 'compartments'di'sposed end to end,A the compartments having side entrances .at their forward ends,and side exitsiat their' rear ends,`the exit at thel rear of -thelforward compartment being disposed at the `entrance to therear compartment, and therebeing an other exit at therear ofthe forward compartment into the rear compartment .dis-

posed at the junction of the Sexit'o'f theforward compartment andthe entrancelof .the'

rear compartment, and watcher statio-nsat the entrance of the forward compartment,

at the exit ofthe rearvcompartment'and at' the junction of the exit ofthe forward com# partment, the entrance ofthe Vrear compart-L ment and the exitv from the forward tothe rear compartment. Y

3. In an vapparatus for vending merchan-` dise, two compartments disposed end to end,

the compartments having side entrances at their forward ends and side exits at their' compartment to the forward compartment,

through the exit leading from the forward compartment to the rear compartment.

4. An apparatus. for vending merchandise, two compartments disposed adjacent each other, the compartments vhaving entrances at their forward ends and exits at their rearends, the exit at the rear of the forward compartments being disposed at the entrance to the rear compartments, means to prevent customers from entering the compartments at the exits and from leaving the compartments at the entrances, there being an exit at the rear of the forward-compartment into the rear compartment disposed at the junction of the exit of the forward com partment and the entrance of the rear compartment, means to prevent customers from passing directly from the rear compartment to the forward compartment through the exit leaving from the forward compartment to the rear compartment, and watcher stations at the entrance of the forward compartment, at the exit of the rear compartment, and at the junction of the exit of the forward compartment, the entrance to the rear compartment and the exit from the forward to the rear compartment.

5. An apparatus for vending merchandise, a plurality of sets of compartments, the compartments in each set being disposed side by side and the sets of compartments being disposed. in therear of each other, there be# ing entrances at theforward ends ofthe outer-side walls ofthe compartments, and exits at ithe'rear. ends ofthe outer Vsidewalls of Athe lcompartment,each -of the lexits be= ing disposed adjacent :the entrance to a rear compartment, there being lateral passages Vatfthe ends of the compartments connecting thev compartments in each set', and exits from the :rear o'f the vcompartments into the acent rear compartments.

6. An apparatus for vending merchandise, a

plurality ofsets ofcompartments, the compartments-in each set being disposed side by side and thewsets lofcompartments being disposed in the'rearofeachother, there beingfentrances at the forward ends ofthe outerfsidel walls of the compartments, and exits at the vrear ends of the outer side walls ofthe compartment, eachy of the exits being disposed adj acent' the entrance to a rear com-- partment, there being lateral 'passagesat the endsfofthe compartmentsconnecting the compartments "in each set',f and, exits adj acent the'lateral passages from'the'rear ofthe compartments into partments. l Y y Y 7. An apparatus for vending merchandise. a plurality of sets of compartments, the compartments in each set being disposed side by side and the sets of compartments being disposed in the rear of each other, there being entrances at the forward ends of theV outer side walls of the compartments, and exits at the rear ends of the outer side walls of the compartment, each of the exits being disposed adjacent the entrance to a rear compartment, there being lateral passages at the ends of the compartments connecting the compartments in each set, and exists adjacent the lateral passages, and additional exits ad-l jacent the junction 0f the exits at the rear of the forward compartments and the entrances -at the forward ends of the rear compartments, they said exits adjacent the lateral passages and the said junctions leading from the forward to the rear-compartments.

8. In a self-service store, a plurality of sets of compartments, the compartments in each set being disposedside by side and the sets the adjacent 'rear comof compartments being disposed in the rear of each other, there being entrances at the forward ends of the outer sidewalls of the compartments, and exits at the rear ends7 of the outer side walls of the compartment, each of the exits being disposed adjacent the entrance to a rear compartment, there being lateral passages at the ends of the compartments connecting the compartments in each set, exits adjacent the lateral passages from the rear of the compartments into the adj acent rear compartments, and watcher stations at the junction of the exitsv of the forward compartments and the entrance of the rearV compartments and at the junction of the lateral passageswth the exits leading to the rear compartments t 9. Ina self-service store, a plurality `of sets of compartments, the compartments in each set being disposed side by .side and the sets of compartments being disposed in the rear of each other, there being entrances at the forward ends of the outer side walls of the compartments, and exits at the rear` ends of the outer side walls of thecompartment, each of the exits being disposed adjacent the entrance to a rear compartment, there being l lateral passages at the ends of the compartl ments connecting the compartments in each set, exits from the rear of the compartments into the `adjacent rearcompartments, means toprevent customers from entering the compartments at the exits in the outer side walls and from leaving the compartments at ,the

Ventrances at the outer side walls, and additional means which `preventsf` customers from passing from the rear to the forward compartments through exits `leading from the forward to the rear compartments.

10. In a self-service store, a plurality of sets of compartments, the compartments in each set being disposedyside by side and the Vsetsfof compartments being disposed in the reanof each other, there being entrances at vthe forward ends of the outerside walls of the compartments, and exits at the rear ends of the outer side walls 'of the compartment, each of: theexits beingl disposed ad' jacent the entrance to a rear compartment,

there beingl lateral passagesA at theends oi' the compartmentsy connecting the compartments in each set, exits adjacent the lateral passages from the rear of the compartments into the adjacent rear compartments, and` watcher stations at the .junction of the exitsof the forward Vcompartments and the en.- tranceoi".thev rear compartments and at the junctionof the lateral passages with the exits leading to the rear compartments, means to;

prevent customers from entering the compartments at the exits in the outer side walls and from leaving the compartments at the entrances atthe outer side walls, and addi; tional 'means which `prevents customers IALVA" w. B. JOHNSON.. Y 

